Beverage containers have utilized a variety of mechanisms to allow a user to drink the beverage contained therein. Typically, in order to provide the user with access to the contents of the container, an opening must be provided into the container. The user is then able to drink from the opening. However, the presence of the opening in the container also provides a possible pathway for the containers of the container to spill, such as when the beverage container is placed in a position where the opening is below the surface of the beverage container therein. For this reason, many beverage containers include a mechanism for closing the opening.
In addition to a general opening in a container, certain structures may be utilized to assist the user in the process of drinking from the container. One such structure is a straw, which provides a pathway connecting a user's mouth to the contents of the container. However, the presence of a straw may further exacerbate the problem of leakage from the container, as the straw provides a defined pathway out of the container.